Braided groundsnake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Braided groundsnake |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification | |
Genus: |
Erythrolamprus
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Species: |
zweifeli
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The braided ground snake (scientific name: Erythrolamprus zweifeli) is a type of snake. It is also sometimes called Zweifel's ground snake. This snake belongs to a large group of snakes known as the Colubridae family.
You can find the braided ground snake in two places: the country of Venezuela and the island of Trinidad.
Snake Family Tree
The braided ground snake is part of a group called the Erythrolamprus genus. A genus is like a smaller family that contains many similar species. There are over 50 different species in the Erythrolamprus genus.
Scientists used to think that the braided ground snake was just a type of Erythrolamprus reginae snake. They called it Erythrolamprus reginae zweifeli. But after looking closely at its colors and the number of scales it has, they decided it was different enough to be its own separate species.
What It Looks Like
The braided ground snake has a unique look. Its back can be a mix of dark and light spots, like a "salt-and-pepper" pattern. Sometimes, it can also be a more even olive-green or olive-brown color.
Its belly is either red or black. It also has a black stripe behind its eyes. This snake does not have tiny pits on its scales, which helps scientists identify it.
Where It Lives
This snake lives in Venezuela and on the island of Trinidad. It prefers to live in montane forests, which are forests found in mountainous areas. You can often find these snakes near the edges of streams in these forests.
What It Eats
The braided ground snake is a hunter. It probably looks for food along the edges of streams in the forest. Its diet includes different kinds of small animals.
It likes to eat stream frogs, such as Mannophryne frogs and tree frogs. It also eats the Leptodactylus validus (Windward ditch frog), salamanders, Ameiva lizards, and small birds.